Academies, and his literary Friends : collected during a familiar intercourse of twenty years with that prince. Translated from the French of Dieudonne Thiebault, Professor of Belles Lettres in the Royal Academy of Berlin."

A pas

We understand that a subterraneous cavern has been discovered within a few days, on the turnpike road in Manlius, about three miles from the square, in Onondago county, New-York. The circumstances attending this discovery are somewhat singular. A Mr. Beckwith, inn-keeper, in digging a well, having descended about 25 feet, came immediately upon the cave, or a cavity at the bottom, about 3 feet in depth, and 3 or 4 in diameter, filled with pure water; upon which a candle was let down, and the discovery completed. sage was found, extending north and south (across the road) a considerable distance; it was explored about 80 feet each way, much to the gratification of its visitants, among whom was our informant. The entrance into the cavern from the bottom of the well is 7 or 8 feet high, but very narrow; an equal height was preserved through the whole passage, excepting at one place to the northward, in which persons are oblig ed to crawl a short distance; the width of the aperture is unequal,being in some parts barely sufficient to admit a common sized person; but in the southern part there is one gradual globular expansion of many feet. The sides of the cave appear to be limestone, through which water constantly oozes, and forms a small stream that runs to the northward through the whole explored avenue. The sides are decorated with various excrescences, some resembling pillars, extending from top to bottom, and others in an inverted conical form, all having the appearance of grey marble, with small regular ridges, evidently denoting their gradual formation. The rill purling under foot, the transparence of the sides of the cavern as exhibited by the clear blaze of the candle, and the reflections naturally produced by the situation of a visitant, are said to be truly delightful. A vein of ore, supposed to be copper or brass, is also said to be found in the cave.-Herkimer Monitor.

Mr. W. H. Ireland, whose fabrication of the Shakspeare MSS. excited so much attention a short time since in England, has written an amusing book, containing his confession of all the cir

"It exhibits the outlines of a charac ter, distinguished most eminently by purity and worth; and at the same time, recommended by all the advantages which are conferred by family, rank, and accomplishments both elegant and solid.-Europe, in the eighteenth century, does not furnish an invidual of greater interest and on whose history the mind dwells with more satisfaction and delight. The narrative, indeed, has little to boast on the score of method or arrangement: but, as it details the most interesting passages in the life of such a man, it cannot fail to engage attention, and is entitled to a considerable share of notice."

Statement of Diseases from July

20 to August 20.

THE weather of the past month has been much cooler than common. The winds from the south-west, east, and more frequently from the north-west than usual at this season.

The most prevalent disease has been a mild typhus, attended in many cases with affection of the intestinal canal; it has scarcely been fatal in any instance. Diarrhoea and dysentery have prevailed in some degree, but they have submitted readily to medicine. Cholera infantum has been comparatively rare.

No great number of patients have been vaccinated during the month. The cause of this is principally an erroneous notion, that the vaccine-pock, analogous to the small pox, will not operate so favourably during the summer, as in the spring and autumn.

EDITORS' NOTE.-We hope that the gentleman, who sent the Sans Souci, No. 2, will excuse us for the alteration we have made in his arrangement. We can assure him, that contributions from him will be very acceptable.

THERE is no subject of inquiry, more important to the study of human understanding, than that, which relates to the first action of genius; or, to use the expression of an idea rather than a term vacant of it, that impulse of intellect, which propels an individual to the achievement of some sublime design. It has been this bright principle, which has shot light through the immeasurable extent of the regions of the imagination, produced à splendid medium to the mental vision, and presented new objects of beauty, grandeur, and delight. What philosophy has done in disciplining the forces of the under standing, the ARTS have performed in civilizing and refining them. The stubbornness of prejudice and the awkwardness of pedantry, which have followed the rigour of her imposition, have been won by their tenderness and grace. The maxims of the profound Stagirite, and even the pomp of Philip, might never have roused the mighty spirit of Alexander, if the glory of Achilles had not sprung from the fancy of Homer. Even the hardness and cruelty of millions, mingled in war and slaughter, have been melted by the stealing influence of Vol. III. No. 9. 31

their charms, and the sound of the clashing of armour and of the clangour of trumpets has lengthened, and subsided in distance, that the lyre might sweep over the ear, in the deep tones and faint vibrations of inspiration.

It is not merely poetry,that kindles the passions into a pure and regular flame, and excites the whole mass of our natures into a motion of feeling and sympathy. They burst likewise from our hearts, with the sight of the enchanting surface of the picture, and with the representation of the various expressions and attitudes of beauty and grace in the forms of sculpture. Painting and sculpture imitate,and, by infinite combinations, even improve, nature. Poetry describes her. Thousands of separate, natural beauties are thus gathered, and concentrated into one imaginary perfection. Apelles so forcibly expressed power in his figure of Alexander, that the thunder seemed rushing from his hand, to destroy the spectator; and his Anadyomene was so lovely, that the painter even became charmed with the fiction of his own creation. He, who has not gazed on the tortures of the Laocoon, hardly has felt the

emotions of pity; and he, who has once beheld the Apollo and Venus, can never look again, for grace of form and loveliness of limb, on the human figure. The Madonas of Raphael and Guido, Corregio and Sassaferetto, fill and purify the soul with divine love, and the Last Judgment of Michael Angelo brightens the conscience with more heavenly light, or overspreads it with a thicker gloom, than all that theological rhetorick has effected.

Some account of the orders of painting, and of those, who are ranked as classical painters, may be useful. if not interesting; but to those, to whom it is useful, it ought to be interesting. For fuller information the reader is referred to the Abbé Richard.

The Roman school ranks the first, and dates its institution at the time of Raphael, who has always been acknowledged as its chief. This school is particularly distinguished for peculiar beauty, correctness of design, and elegance of composition; the truth of expression, and intelligence of att udes. The able masters of this school have principally formed themselves on the study of the antique. The most of the Roman school have attended less to colour, than to the sublime expression and solemn style of their figures, awakening in the mind of those, who behold them, all the grand emotions, with which they themselves were struck. By this style they acquired a supremacy, and their pictures hold the highest rank amongst the Painters.

The Florence school has for its founders Leonardo de Vinci, and Michael Angelo Bounarotti. These great artists have transmitted to their students a manner, strong and bold, and a sublimity of style and gigantick expression,

which, though often beyond nature, is always magnificent.

The Lombard school has united all the qualities, which form the perfection of the art. To the study of the antique, on which it has formed itself for design, as well as the Roman and Florentine schools, it has joined all the most lively, beautiful, and sensible parts of nature; it has also assembled all the science and graces of the art. Corregio is considered as the first painter and master of this school. Amongst his scholars were Parmegiano, Schedoni, the Carracci, Guido, &c.

The Venetian school is remarkable for the perfection, with which its painters have imitated nature. Their colouring is exquisite. You observe a discrimination of light and shade, and touches of the pencil, most gracious and lovely, in all the pictures of Titian and Paul Veronese. These great artists, however, seem to have neglected that design, so essential to perfection.

These are the four great schools, which have produced works, which seem destined to remain forever superiour to human art and imitation.

The French school has studied the Italian, and Poussin has altogether followed the Roman.

The Flemish school has done much by the works of Rubens and Vandyke. In Italy they are even esteemed artists of an illustrious order. Vandyke for portrait disputes the first rank, and Rubens in history and allegory yields to none. Their colouring is so pure and bright, that a constant freshness and glow is ever on their figures. The Flemish school is remarkable for labour and nicety, and the closest imitation of nature. Delicacy and patience of

the pencil are peculiarly observed in all their pictures.

Having now given these short sketches of the illustrious and ancient academies of painting, we proceed to the drudgery of births, dates, and deaths.

OF THE ROMAN SCHOOL.

Raphael Sanzio, torn at Urbin A. D. 1483, died 1520. He is esteemed the most perfect of the painters. His genius was of the highest intelligence. Grace and love make all his female figures angels, and refined dignity and majesty elevate his men into the nature and form of the gods. As you behold the "SCHOOL OF ATHENS," you are at once in the midst of the awful solemnity of the Academia of Plato. The heads of his philosophers are full of venerable wisdom; their visage solemn, and fixed in the holiness of meditation. His Parnassus partakes much of the air of the heavens, and the gods, who have lit on it, have brought, from the other world, forms that cannot be described. But was ever a spot so pleasant for Apollo to rest upon, in his aërial course, and divert himself with the sound of his lyre! His great works are at Rome, in the Vatican, with the exception of the Transfiguration, St. Cecilia, and the Virgine del Sedia.

Julio Romano, born 1492, died 1546; the favourite pupil of Raphael. His colouring is faint and feeble, but his figures tender and delicate.

Polidore, born 1495, died 1543. His colouring is fine, his design correct, and his heads remarkable for strength.

Perino de Bonacorri, born 1500, died 1547; he painted at the Vatican under the instruction of Raphael, whom he so closely imitat.

ed, that many of his pictures pass for those of his master.

Innocentio de Imola, pupil of Raphael; he designed much like his great master. His pictures are rare and valuable.

Frederico Barroci, born 1528, died 1612; his pictures are very striking; he resembled Corregio much in the beauty of his colouring; his heads are particularly graceful.

Dominichino, born at Rome, 1589, died 1624. He copied the Antique, and Julio Romano. His imagination was full of spirit and genius. His pictures striking, and remarkable for the sombre tone of their colouring.

Claude Lorrain, born 1600, died 1682, at Rome. He is considered the first of the landscape painters. His beauty is in the aerial perspective and distance of his painting, and in his power of displaying nature. But he failed in the figures in his landscapes. Those, that are good, are by his scholar Bourgig.

non.

Andrea Sacchi, born at Rome, 1599, died 1661; a painter worthy of the finest period of the art. His pictures are of admirable design, and full of grace and tenderness, and glowing with the colouring of his master Albano.

Salvator Rosa, born 1614, died 1673. His pictures are full of truth and nature strongly expressed; he seemed to have studied nature only. He excelled in battles, ferocious animals, and wild landscapes.

Michael Angelo de Carravagio, born 1569, died 1609. His pictures are remarkable for depth of shade, and style of nature.

OF THE FLORENTINE SCHOOL.

Cimabue, born 1230, died 1300. He is regarded as the father of

modern painting. He learnt the art from some Grecian painters at Florence, and he imitated them with much spirit.

Leonardo da Vinci, born 1445, died 1520; also sculptor and architect; the greatest genius, which has graced the fine arts. His famous picture of the Last Supper was painted in fresco in the refectory of the Convent of Dominicans, in Milan. The modern Gauls, on their first inroad into Italy, attempted to cut out the wall to make this one of their spoils of painting; but failing in their purpose, with their wonted barbarity they reduced its beauty and magnificence into a state of ruin and decay, and the Last Supper of Leonardo is now extant only by its masterly preservation in the engraving of Morghens. He was the first painter of his age, and died in the arms of Francis I.

Pietro Perrugino, born 1446, died 1524. The heads of his figures are full of grace and beauty; his colouring is faint.

Bartolameo della Porto, born 1465, died 1517. He taught Raphael colouring.

Michael Angelo Bounarotti, born in Florence 1475, died 1564; so well known as the greatest painter, sculptor, and architect of modern times. His principal pictures are in fresco, in the Vatican. His statue of Moses is ranked with the antique. There is about it a supernatural majesty and grandeur, which constitute as much original character, as force and strength do in the Farnese Hercules. Had Michael Angelo have done no more than his Moses, his fame would remain forever among the sculptors of antiquity; but the figures of Morning and Evening Twilight, and of Day and Night, in the Medici Chapel at

Florence, sprung also from his infinite genius. His picture of the LAST JUDGMENT is the work of an age, and the great sketch of all that is mighty and majestick in the art. The imagination is forever falling in the abyss of bell, drawn by his demons, or rising into the highest heavens on the rustling motion of his angels.

Andrea del Sarto, born 1478, died 1530, is among the first painters of this school. His manner is large and his pencil soft and delicate, and his pictures have yet a wonderful freshness. He is es teemed the greatest colourist of his school. His pictures are chiefly in Florence, particularly in the church del Annunziazione, belong, ing to the convent of the Dominicans. They are in fresco, and wonderfully fresh. Michael An, gelo is said to have sat for hours to study his picture of the Virgin on the sack.

OF THE LOMBARD SCHOOL.

Antonio Allegro, called Il Corregio, born 1494, died 1534. Nature and genius made Corregio a painter, he having seen nothing of the masters. He painted much before he knew his own perfection, and discovered it by comparing his powers with a picture of Raphael. No one has been able to imitate the enchanting tints and mellow softness of the pencil of Corregio.

Francisco Massuotti, called Il Parmegiano; his manner is graceful, his colouring fresh and natural, and the drapery of his figures graceful and flowing.

Pelegrine Tibaldi, a good painter and fine architect, born 1522, died 1592.

Luca Cambiagi. His pictures are bold. He painted with great